Pet Adoption Center News - Humane Society of Westchester

Pet Adoption Center News
New Rochelle Humane Society
Spring 2009
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
By Carlette Allen
Gas prices are going up and down — the stock market is gyrating crazily and even the weather is being unpredictable — warm and sunny one day, cold and dank the next!
Need a little serenity in your life?
If you have ever had an animal as a pet, you know what I mean. Why not come down to our shelter and adopt one of
our older cats or dogs who will not have the exuberance of a kitten or puppy, but will bring contentment and love.
Who knows – you as well as the animal may benefit tenfold.
Unconditional love is a mighty arm of contentment. Take it from me – our Honey, who was adopted from the shelter in July 2003 has brought such joy!
UPCOMING EVENTS
CAT ADOPTION DAY AT LARCHMONT FLORAL DESIGNS
Saturday, June 13
Come, see and adopt an adorable kitten (or two) at 114 Chatsworth Ave. from
12 noon to 2 pm.
DOG WASH 2009
Sunday, July 19
Once again we will be holding our annual dog wash
at the shelter from 10 am to 3 pm. In addition to a dog wash there will be microchipping, games, contests, vendors, raffles, an auction and a special guest—
Annemarie Lucas, ASPCA Special Investigator and star of Animal Planet. Please
see page 5 for more details.
Walk-A-Thon
Sunday, Oct 4th
The New Rochelle Humane Society and Pet Rescue of Larchmont will join together to hold a
dog walk/fair at Glen Island Park in New Rochelle. This will be an annual event that will provide funds to both organizations for the care of homeless animals. At this time we are looking
for vendors, sponsors and raffle donations. Please send an e-mail to
www.walk@newrochellehumanesociety.org if you can help. Our web site will have more
information as we get closer to the event.
Pet Ownership—A Lifetime Commitment
The New Rochelle Humane Society is a notfor-profit organization established in 1911
and governed by a volunteer Board of Directors.
Services
Adoptions
Animal Rescue
Lost and Found
Animal Welfare Education
Spay/Neuter Certificates
Dog Training
Pet Therapy
The Society is dedicated to providing
individual loving care for lost, abandoned,
injured and mistreated stray animals in
Westchester. Through the generosity of
many caring donors we are able to continue
to make our shelter a truly humane place.
Board of Directors
FROM OUR SHELTER
MANAGER
By Dana Roco
The economic situation has affected every part of our lives. So
it is no surprise the New Rochelle
Humane Society is seeing pet
owners affected by the financial crisis. Though we are not seeing
many pet owners losing their homes through foreclosures, we are
seeing a rise in the number of evictions from rented residences.
Having to relinquish your beloved pet due to the inability to find
a rental that allows a pet is devastating for many families.
Finding rental properties that allow pets in Westchester County
can be extremely challenging. We would love to see more building owners allow “responsible pet owners” to bring their furry
family members with them. I have listed below some suggestions
to pet owners looking for rental apartments that will hopefully
improve their chances of finding a rental that allows pets.
When looking for a rental that allows pets, keep in mind that
many landlords have had bad experiences with previous pet owning renters. You will need to show a prospective landlord that you
are a responsible pet owner. A letter of reference from your veterinarian can demonstrate to a potential landlord that you take
good care of your pets. An additional way to impress a potential
landlord is to provide a letter from your previous landlord. A letter confirming how clean you kept your apartment with your pets
could go a long way in convincing a landlord to allow your pet.
Other references can be from a trainer attesting to the temperament or general manners of your dog.
Carlette Allen
Paul Amerling, DVM
John Feldtmose
Dianne Heim
Marilyn Monsanto
Gloria Shulman
Carole Springer
Lee Anne Veley
Diane Wade
New Rochelle Humane Society
70 Portman Road
New Rochelle, NY 10801
(914) 632632-2925
FAX (914) 632632-0445
www.newrochellehumanesociety.net
E-mail: nr.shelter@verizon.net
Thrift Shop
As for landlords, it is understandable that you may be hesitant to
rent to pet owners after having had bad experiences. We would
hate to see all pets banned due to some irresponsible pet owners.
Instead of banning all pet owner, you might require a pet deposit.
As mentioned previously, references from former landlords, veterinarians or trainers can be invaluable in ensuring that you will
not have a problem. Great pets owners will go out of their way to
comply with these types of requests in order to allow them to
bring their beloved pet with them into a new apartment.
Springtime means flowers, grass, birds and house
cleanup. When you think about getting rid of
things you have not used for years, don’t just
pack them away—donate to the Humane Society Thrift Shop instead. It’s located at 313
North Avenue in New Rochelle across from the
railroad station. The store is open from 11 am to
4 pm Wednesday through Saturday. Clothing,
household items and jewelry are most welcome
and Lucia Kim will be glad to give you a tax receipt. Call her at 633-7683 with any questions.
Sun Conures
Yes, we usually take in dogs and cats, but
when these birds were found in a box outside of Costco our staff went to the rescue.
Although their wings were clipped, one
managed to escape and our undaunted staff
member followed her into a ditch where she
was rescued. They are in a home now and
hopefully will stay put and be safe.
Pet Ownership—A Lifetime Commitment
2
FROM THE VET
FROM THE
TRAINER
Ann King
With the huge success of a certain
dog training TV show, I am often
approached by owners who feel
they need to dominate their dog
and prove who is “alpha.” This can sometimes
lead to a rather unpleasant outcome.
The truth is that dogs, like children, need boundaries and guidelines. Being a benevolent leader to
your dog will teach him respect and help build his
confidence.
As a good leader you should control all the resources. Food is a very valuable resource, but I
think some dogs think there is an ongoing buffet
service that magically keeps their bowl full. Instead
of free feeding your dog, feed him twice a day and
leave the food bowl down for 15 minutes at most.
You can also take half of your dog’s meal and
make him work for it – practice simple obedience
behaviors such as “sit” and “down” and make your
dog earn his meals.
Teach your dog that Nothing In Life is Free and
that he needs to earn his resources with good manners and good behavior. Resources are everything
your dog needs and wants – food, treats, toys, and
even attention and affection.
He must do something for you in order to earn anything that is valuable to him, whether it’s food, toys
or even if he wants to be petted, ask him to sit first.
Remember, being a good leader does not mean you
have to be a Bully! Alpha rolls, collar jerks, scruff
shakes and hitting have no place in training your
canine companion. As the saying goes - “In dog
training, jerk is a noun, not a verb!”
Coco Mulch Can Kill
The ASPCA confirms the potential effects of theobromine and caffeine on dogs. Dogs are highly
sensitive to these chemicals which are found in
coco mulch. Low doses can cause mild gastrointestinal upset; higher doses can cause rapid heart
rate, muscle tremors, seizers and death. Not all
coco mulch contains these chemicals so please
check to see if it does or not — better still, buy
other types of mulch instead just to be on the safe
side.
Dr. Paul Amerling
Spring is typically a very active
time of year for most pets and
their owners. As we start our
spring routines we realize that
we may not be as nimble as we were back in the fall.
Maybe a few extra pounds have created more problems
than we were aware of, and maybe our flexibility has
decreased a bit as well. Does this sound familiar? Remember, these same issues affect your pets as well.
Working into things slowly will benefit your pets, just
as it does you. You may have been walking/running on
a treadmill all winter, but likely the dog has not. So
when you finally hit the road for a stroll/jog, it may be
your dog’s first walk/run in months. Take it easy and
wean them into an exercise routine.
Other issues of concern this time of year are the ingestion of plants and planting materials (mulch, soil). As
flowers begin to sprout, they look very attractive to
many dogs and cats and if ingested, may indeed be
harmful. Garden supplies we use may also be harmful,
like mulch, fertilizer, and soil additives. Be sure to
keep your animals away from these products, and read
the labels carefully before applying in an area where
your pet will be spending time. Cut flowers can also be
a threat to your pet. During spring holidays flowers are
commonly received as gifts. Be aware of what you’re
giving someone who has a pet, and be aware of what
you bring into your own home. These plants and flowers are a very common source of toxicity in dogs and
especially cats.
Spring is a big season for parasites. Ingestion of parasite eggs through contaminated dirt, food, or toys, and
even grooming can transmit intestinal parasites. External parasites, especially ticks are also a big concern this
time of year. As the weather gets warmer, fleas will
rear their ugly little heads, and mosquitoes will also
appear to spread disease. It is extremely important to
discuss these issues with your veterinarian and decide
on an appropriate protocol to address these parasites.
Spring is a wonderful time of year, and your pet does
not have to suffer needlessly if a few simple precautions are taken. In addition, educating yourself about
the potential hazards/toxins in your environment can go
a long way to preventing problems. Your veterinarian
is your best and most reliable source of information on
all these issues, so feel free to contact them and ask
their advice. Remember, prevention is the best
medicine!
Pet Ownership—A Lifetime Commitment
3
Young Caring
Hearts
Pet First Aid
More than 30 people attended an excellent Pet First Aid talk by Dr. Paul
Amerling of Miller-Clark Animal Hospital, at our shelter on April 11th. Dr.
Amerling was accompanied by Magnum, his 16-month-old handsome and
very well behaved black Lab who he
used for demonstration purposes. Dr. Amerling is a
member of the New Rochelle Humane Society board.
The course’s purpose was to teach how to give immediate care to an injured or suddenly ill pet as temporary
assistance until proper veterinary care can be received.
The course was not intended to replace veterinary care,
just to allow a pet owner to potentially save a pet’s life
or to minimize trauma after an injury.
Dr. Amerling dealt with such topics as restraints, CPR
(checking airways, breathing and circulation), bleeding,
orthopedic injuries to bone and muscle, other wounds
such as penetrating objects, puncture wounds and degloving wounds (skin torn off), burns, cold and heat
emergencies and poisonings.
A flier was handed out which listed items that should be
included in a pet first aid kit such as gauze (roll and
pads), saline solution for rinsing wounds, bandage tape,
cold pack and scissors. One should also always have the
ASPCA Poison Control Hotline available. The number
is (888) 426-4435. Also have your credit card number
available since there is a charge for this service.
Watch our web site for more talks in the future.
“If you don’t have a dog—at least one—there is not necessarily anything wrong with you, but there may be
something wrong with your life.”….Vincent Van Gogh
“Cats can be cooperative when something feels good,
which, to a cat, is the way everything is supposed to feel
as much of the time as possible.”…. Roger Caras
Girls Scout Troup No.
1829 from the Hommocks School in Larchmont and Ursuline
School in New Rochelle visited the shelter to plant
flowers using money they raised by collecting change
and running lemonade stands. They brought flats, soil
and fertilizer and, along with some parents, helped
beautify our shelter. We are so pleased when young
people want to help our animals — directly or indirectly. Making our shelter more appealing to visitors
certainly brings people through our doors in a happier
mood and more ready to adopt.
This is just one example of how young people can
help. Others, ages 14 to 18, participate in our junior
volunteer program, and 10-14 year olds come with a
parent and take part in our family volunteer program.
Other children help raise money or collect merchandise which they bring when they come to our shelter
for a talk, a tour and a visit with
some animals.
Every year the Greenwich
Catholic School brings two bus
loads of merchandise to the
shelter. This is thanks to Jeff
Stumpo who used to be a junior
volunteer at our shelter and is
now a teacher at the school. The
classes participate in a contest to
see which one can collect the most. The winning
classes get to visit the shelter and have a pizza party.
If you have a group of youngsters who would like to
visit the shelter, or take up a collection or volunteer,
please call to make an appointment by calling
932-2925. We would love to have them.
The Birthday Cat
Our home had been catless for nearly six years when I decided that I needed to adopt a cat for
my 62nd birthday. I realized I didn’t want a kitten—they are usually very adoptable—I wanted
to do a bit of a rescue operation. I spent literally two hours peering into cages and holding cats,
grey and striped, black and white, long haired and short haired, young and one very old lady
Persian. It occurred to me that this was not going to be easy—how could I ever choose. I spied
a tabby in a cage in the corner. His tag read “Newby 2 years.” The volunteer told me to stand
in front of the cage while she opened it. Newby calmly put both paws on my shoulders, looked
at me directly in my eyes and clung to me. I had not selected a cat—this cat had selected me.
Almost a year later Newby (renamed Percy (after King Arthur’s most valiant knight, Percival) continues to amaze
my husband and me. This is a cat with a large measure of feline personality and is the MOST affectionate companion imaginable.
Caroline Romans
Pet Ownership—A Lifetime Commitment
4
Puppy Reunion
Mandy and five of her six puppies meet for the first time since
they were all adopted one year
ago. They, together with 20
other dogs, met moms and/
or siblings at the Shelter’s
Puppy Reunion held on
May 3rd.
Although the weather was
dreadful, which meant outdoor games had to be cancelled and everyone had to be moved inside, a wonderful
time was had by all. Dogs got acquainted, owners compared notes, treats were eaten (by dogs and humans), pictures were taken and play dates arranged.
newrochellehumanesociety.org
Please be sure to visit our web site even if you are not
interested in adopting an animal. It has been spruced up
and now has a monthly theme and up-to-date information
on all upcoming events as well as a featured dog and cat.
Dog Wash
As reported in our last
newsletter, our 2008 dog
wash was bigger and better
than ever. Over 100 dogs
were bathed, 75 had their
nails clipped and 25 were microchipped. We had raffle
prizes, dog contests (including best costume) a hot dog
and an ice cream truck, a fire engine and two special
guests: Annmarie Lucas, the ASPCA animal control officer who is the star of Animal Cops on Animal Planet and
Goomba Johnny, a disc jockey on WKTU.
This year the dog wash will be held on Sunday, July 19th.
It will be even bigger still, with more vendors, more
games and more prizes.
Annmarie has promised to
come again and hand out more
signed autographed pictures.
Please plan on joining us on
this FUN day.
April’s banner article was on “Kitten Season” between
March and November, during which time shelters are
overwhelmed with kittens. There was information on
ways you can help through our Trap/Neuter/Return program.
Flopsie
Flopsie, obviously uncared
for, was left in her cage outside the NRHS a few months
ago, but after their first visit to
the Shelter, Barbara and her
daughter left for home with
Since April was Prevent Animal Cruelty Month there was
Flopsie under their arms.
a link to an article with tips on how to recognize abuse,
They were “impressed by the
who to call if you suspect abuse and ways to support
staff, the cleanliness and the health of the animals in the
anti-cruelty legislation. Articles from past months are
Shelter. Flopsie is very sweet, loving and happy in his
easy to retrieve as well.
new home, settling in quite nicely with his new family.
You can read heart-warming stories along with pictures
Everyone loves him.”
sent to us by very happy adopters under the “Happy
He enjoys napping under
Tails” section.
the kitchen table with
We now send out a short monthly e-mail newsletter and
Annakin, the cat, who
also a monthly letter entitled “Fresh Starts” which feasnuggles up as close to
tures two animals who have been adopted and are now
him as he can. He also
living the good life. The Flopsie article (next column) is enjoys following around
one of these stories. If you would like to receive these eDaisy, the Chihuahua.
When he is not playing
mails please go to our web site’s home page and enter
with his new friends, he
your e-mail address in the box which says “Join our
is busy throwing his toys in the air and learning to use the
Newsletter.” You can ask to be dropped from the list at
anytime if you wish, and be assured your address will not litter box in his cage. “He has a big personality and his
antics always make us smile.”
be shared with any other organization.
From “Fresh Starts”
Pet Ownership—A lifetime Commitment
5